Subject Zero (COMPLETED)

Two

Malakai

Kai was welcomed awake by metal nearly pressed against his entire body.

He was used to rusty chains, courtesy of Benedict Lee, but this metal rubbed the tender parts of his skin worse than any sharp chain. Kai was sitting in a metal chair bolted to the cement, with inch-thick steel wrapped over his wrists and ankles, tight against his flesh. Another half-circle of metal wrapped just over Kai's neck; a slight move forward and the metal would release uncomfortable pressure to his throat. Even with his head pushed back, the metal teased him, tickling his skin. With the pressing steel against his body, Kai was forced to sit up straight, his spine nearly arching backwards.

The worst part, though, was the contraption of sheer metal over his mouth. A steel muzzle fastened across the bottom half of his face, from the top jawline of his cheeks to his lower chin. Small holes surrounded where his mouth was, only allowing a small amount of air flow. Kai could already feel the muzzle pressing deep against his raw skin.

Without being able to turn his neck fully, Kai relied on his eyes to do the scanning with no aid. The room was square and small; the walls were an off white color, and the floor was cold cement. Fluorescent lights shined down from the ceiling, forcing Kai to squint his eyes. The entire wall straight forward was a mirror; Kai could see himself, and he was positive the people behind the mirror could see him as well.

One of the things that stood out in the room the most, though, was a single picture frame to his left. It was a painting of the woods at dusk, the moon reflecting off a swamp. Some elk stood by the water, while others hid in the trees. One bull was behind the pack, the antlers large with weeds tangled in them. Kai knew these animals well; his father and him used to go hunting for elk every so often. The thought of his family pained him, but Kai would not go a day without thinking about his parents and older sister, Novah, no matter how much it hurt.

Though his whole body racked with discomfort, he felt a significant ache on his neck. The pinch of a needle was a familiar feeling to Kai, but the sedative was still pulsing in him, and Kai had to force his eyes to stay alert.

Where was he? When Benedict Lee released his live video, Kai and the other subjects were able to see and hear him from their cells. Kai was either in the East or West Capitol, he presumed, but he wouldn't be able to find out on his own.

Was anyone else here? Kai was left inside when the other subjects were dropped elsewhere. He immediately thought about Seb, and it nearly brought tears to his eyes. Kai considered Seb his best friend. They were cell buddies, but they also got along well under the circumstances. It was Seb who gave him hope, but without him, Kai didn't know what to think.

Kai had gotten to know all the subjects well. He knew all their backstories and secrets, and the thought of any of them being in danger finally brought tears down Kai's cheeks.

They thought they were free. They thought they escaped Benedict's clutch, but even with him dead, they were in the palm of his cold and calloused hand. Would the Capitol's really use them as weapons of war? Would they really treat humans the way Benedict did? Maybe not. Maybe they would release the subjects and let them come back home. He would find out with time, but right now, it wasn't promising.

Kai sniffled, and it echoed back and forth in the boxed room. For now, he was alone. For now, he had to keep his powers hidden for as long as he could. Nobody would pry anything out of him. They had no right.

Kai looked ahead at the mirror and stared at his bloodshot eyes that clouded any natural green. Whatever they drugged him with, it was too strong, and Kai had to dig his nails into his palms to stay awake. He clenched his jaw as he swallowed down bile, the steel around his throat taunting to choke him. Nonetheless, he kept his stare at himself, and whoever was on the other side.